Shirdi
{{Distinguish|Shiradi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Shirdi
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = mr
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline = Sai baba samadhi mandir .jpg
| image_caption = Sai Baba's Samadhi Mandir in 2017
| nickname = Sainagar
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Maharashtra#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|19.77|N|74.48|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{IND}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Maharashtra
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Ahmednagar
| established_title = Taluka
| established_date = Rahata
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Municipal Council
| governing_body = Shirdi Municipal Council
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 13
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 504
| population_total = 36004
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Marathi
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = PIN
| postal_code = 423109
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 02423
| registration_plate = MH-17
| footnotes =
| leader_title = MP
| leader_name = Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Shiv Sena (UBT)
| leader_title1 = MLA
| leader_name1 = Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, BJP
}}
Shirdi ({{audio|Shirdi.ogg|pronunciation}}; also known as Sainagar) is a town and pilgrimage site in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Shirdi is located in the Rahata taluka of Ahmednagar District. It is most well known for being the home of the 19th-century Indian saint Sai Baba.
History
{{Further information|Sai Baba of Shirdi#Biography}}
In the mid-1850s, a young Sai Baba arrived and settled in Shirdi, then a small village. Although he was initially denounced by the villagers as a madman, over the following decades, he became a prominent spiritual figure, drawing both Hindu and Muslim devotees from the surrounding areas. Following his death in 1918, his remains were placed in Buti Wada, which eventually grew to become what is known today as Sai Baba's Samadhi Mandir or Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.{{Cite book |last=Rigopoulos |first=Antonio |title=The Life And Teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi |date=9 March 1993 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=9781438417349}}{{Cite web |title=Shirdi Sai Baba |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Shirdi-Sai-Baba |website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}
Demographics
As per the 2011 Indian census, the population of Shirdi stood at 36,004. Males constitute 53% of the population, and females make up 47%. Shirdi has an average literacy rate of 70%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 62%. 15% of the population is under six years of age.{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}
Being one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in India, much of Shirdi's population is made up of tourists. Every day, roughly 60,000 religious tourists visit the Samadi Mandir.{{Cite web |last=Dasgupta |first=Ranjan |date=23 May 2023 |title=At Rs 900 crore, Shirdi temple's earnings top pre-Covid levels |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/at-900cr-shirdi-temples-earnings-top-pre-covid-levels/articleshow/100433618.cms |website=The Times of India}}
Transportation
= Train =
The Sainagar Shirdi railway station became operational in March 2009. As of 2011, there are trains from Chennai, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Mysore, among others.{{Update inline|reason=Its been 14 years since 2011|date=February 2025}}
= Air =
Shirdi Airport was inaugurated by then-president Ramnath Kovind on 1 October 2017. Major destinations from Shirdi Airport include the airports of Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai. The airport is located in Kakadi, in the Kopargaon tahsil area, 14 km southwest of Shirdi.{{cite news| title=Shirdi airport work in full swing: Official |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Shirdi-airport-work-in-full-swing-Official/articleshow/6117173.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614053622/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-02/pune/28275574_1_shirdi-airport-airport-project-airport-for-devotees-planning|url-status=live|archive-date=14 June 2012|access-date=3 June 2012| newspaper=The Times of India |date=2 July 2010}} The construction, according to the original plans, was completed in February 2016, and the first trial flight took place on 2 March 2016.{{cite news |title=First trial flight touches down at Shirdi airport |author=Yogesh Naik |url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/First-trial-flight-touches-down-at-Shirdi-airport/articleshow/51232066.cms |newspaper=Mumbai Mirror |date=3 March 2016 |access-date=5 April 2016}} In July 2019, the state government approved extending the runway from 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) to 3,200 metres (10,500 ft), building a new terminal to boost hourly passenger capacity from 300 to 1,000, and adding night-landing facilities.{{Cite web |last=Sengupta |first=Joy |date=9 September 2019 |title=Shirdi airport takes step forward to bag 24x7 tag |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/shirdi-airport-takes-step-forward-to-bag-24x7-tag/articleshow/71039884.cms |website=The Times of India}}
The nearest major airports are at Aurangabad and Pune, {{cvt|115|km}} and {{cvt|186|km}} respectively from Shirdi.
= Road =
Shirdi is accessible via State Highway 10, which runs south through Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik, and Dhule districts.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Wikivoyage inline|Shirdi}}
- Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi's [https://www.sai.org.in/ Official Website]
- Visitors [https://mytempletrips.in/planning-for-trip-to-shridi-during-summer-holidays-some-tips-to-help-you-plan/ guide]
{{Ahmednagar district topics}}
{{Hindu holy cities}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Talukas in Maharashtra
Category:Sufi shrines in India
Category:Cities in Maharashtra
Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites
Category:Cities and towns in Ahmednagar district